She’s correct that many, if not most, Chicago bike stores are owned, and largely staffed, by white guys. I myself worked for a few years at an otherwise-terrific cycle shop that had an all-male, mostly white staff, and at times there was a bit of a boys-club atmosphere. (The shop has since hired two female mechanics, which has likely made it an even better place to go for sales or repairs.)

The good news is that our city also has at least 18 cycle shops that are owned or co-owned by women and/or people of color, which folks who don’t fit the stereotypical profile of an urban cyclist might find especially welcoming. (Of course, demographics don’t necessarily predict whether or not you’ll have a good experience at a bike shop.) Some of the South and West side shops are located in the middle of “bike shop deserts” where they’re just about the only option for buying a cycle or getting it fixed, so they’re especially deserving of support.

In addition, all six of Chicago’s nonprofit community bike stores have diverse staff, most run educational programs for at-risk youth, and some offer classes or open shop sessions especially for women and transgender people. Here’s a map and list of all these establishments (click on the map pins for the addresses and phone numbers of the shops), including links to the shop’s websites where available, plus some articles I’ve written about them.

Are there any other female- or POC-owned shops within Chicago that should be on this list? If so, let us know in the comments or email me at jgreenfield[at]streetsblog.org. (Also feel free to mention any such stores you know of in the suburbs.)

A Chicago Tribune investigation indicates that police are much more likely to ticket people in African-American communities for bike infractions than they are to issue citations to lawbreaking cyclists in mostly white areas. This isn't just illegal and unjust. It also discourages cycling in black neighborhoods.

Leave it to the Chicago Tribune editorial board to take an important expose on police targeting bike riders in black communities and use it as an excuse for yet another another call-to-arms for more ticketing of cyclists citywide.